


sweet & salty

by gunwoong (sessrumnir)



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Jacob is a good friend, M/M, Making Out, background unrequited sunhak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:46:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23501809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sessrumnir/pseuds/gunwoong
Summary: Jacob sucks at giving advice. Thankfully that's not what Sunwoo needs right now.
Relationships: Bae Joonyoung | Jacob/Kim Sunwoo
Comments: 14
Kudos: 167





	sweet & salty

**Author's Note:**

> exactly what it says on the tin. they smooch!

Jacob wonders, briefly, if the movie he’s watching is supposed to make sense.

Granted, he’s only half paying attention. But some of the scenes are way too long, and it feels like the director forgot colors existed and stuck with beige tones in editing. Jacob has been checking his phone from time to time, something he promised himself he wouldn’t do, but _honestly_. There’s only so much beige someone can live with. 

It’s not like there’s a lot happening in his notifications, either. 

He’s thinking about the ice cream lost somewhere in the chaos of their fridge when someone plops down next to him on the couch. Sunwoo’s hair is wet from the shower, and he’s wearing a shirt that’s so big it looks more like a pajama than anything. His pants are actually pajamas.

Jacob eyes him, curiously, but doesn’t say anything. 

“Can I watch with you?” Sunwoo says, or grunts, or whatever it is he’s doing. Jacob is used to his moods, even if Sunwoo usually tries not to get in anyone’s way when he’s like this. 

“Sure,” Jacob says. 

It’s an incredibly boring scene. Jacob wonders if he should suggest something else, since he’s not the only one watching it anymore, but one look at Sunwoo’s face tells him Sunwoo’s barely paying attention, anyway. He looks distant, distracted. Sad.

Jacob is still eyeing him with the corner of his eyes when Haknyeon walks out of his room, dressed casually and patting his pockets. He spots the two of them on the couch and stops on his way to the door, giving them a smile, “I’ll be back before midnight,” he announces for no reason other than politeness, and Jacob nods, giving him a smile in return. 

“Have fun!” Jacob says. 

Sunwoo ignores him. 

Haknyeon hesitates, smile still plastered on his face, but then turns and leaves. Jacob watches him go, then turns to the TV again, trying to remember why he picked this bore of a film in the first place. But his mind takes him somewhere else.

He knows Sunwoo is having a hard time. Even though Sunwoo is the kind to bottle everything up and just speak the bare minimum for teamwork’s sake during their group meetings, Jacob knows there’s more to it. Sunwoo is still dealing with Hyunjoon’s absence (they all are, but Sunwoo took it the hardest, by the looks of it), and something seems to have driven him and Haknyeon apart. They haven’t fought, as far as Jacob can tell, but something is different. Sunwoo is different. 

And really, Jacob doesn’t want to be all up in his business, he really doesn’t, but it’s hard to stay quiet when he looks at Sunwoo and all he sees are drooped shoulders and a clenched jaw. He looks the very image of heartbroken, and it kills Jacob a little bit.

“You should talk to him,” Jacob offers, probably unhelpfully. 

Sunwoo glances at him, shifts uncomfortably on the couch. He’s very good at schooling his expression, which means Jacob can’t really read his face right now. 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Sunwoo says. 

“You sure?” 

He’s not the only one who noticed, of course; Sunwoo’s feelings are an open secret, sort of, the unspoken truth within the group. Or within the most observant members, at least. There has always been the lingering gaze, the protectiveness that was so blatant they couldn’t hide it from the cameras. Sunwoo has always been a little too fond of Haknyeon, but for some reason, that’s all there ever was. He never seemed to act on it. And for a few months now, things have been... weird. Less warm.

Sunwoo shakes his head. “It’s whatever. Doesn’t matter.”

It does. It very clearly does. But Sunwoo is stubborn, and Jacob is terrible with advice, and this sucks. He doesn’t like seeing Sunwoo like this; he’s a compassionate person by nature, but something about seeing Sunwoo, strong-willed, hardworking, kind-hearted Sunwoo this lonely and sad is just too much. Jacob reaches for his hand and holds it in his own, firm, thumb giving it soft strokes in what he hopes is a comforting gesture.

Sunwoo doesn’t look at him, but he lets him hold his hand. They watch another couple of minutes of the beige nightmare in silence before Sunwoo rests his head on Jacob’s shoulder. It feels nice, to be this close. They’re not that clingy, usually, but right now it feels right. Jacob is glad that he can offer some sort of comfort, even if he can’t come up with words to help. He keeps thinking about things to say, because he feels like all Sunwoo needs to do is talk to Haknyeon, surely, and then everything will be—

“It’s not mutual,” Sunwoo says, interrupting Jacob’s train of thought. His voice is very low but steady. “He doesn’t feel the same. I’m just trying not to think about h—it.” 

_About him_ , he meant to say. Jacob’s heart breaks in a million pieces. He looks down at Sunwoo, still resting his head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Sunwoo-ya.” 

Sunwoo looks up at him. Jacob is aware of how close they are, and how pretty Sunwoo is, because that’s not something you can just not notice this up close. He probably stares a second too long, because Sunwoo closes the distance and presses his lips to Jacob’s.

It’s a confusing five seconds. Sunwoo’s lips feel soft and warm against his own, and Jacob’s first instinct is to reach up and touch Sunwoo’s face, but instead he pulls back, blinking. 

“What’s happening?”

“I’m kissing you,” Sunwoo says simply.

“You’re not thinking straight.” He says. Sunwoo snorts, and Jacob stutters, “I mean—You know what I mean. You’re vulnerable. I can’t—It’s not right.”

“I’m not vulnerable, hyung. I’m sad, that’s all.” 

“Exactly. I don’t want to take advantage of that. You might regret this later.”

Sunwoo shakes his head, reaching up to cup Jacob’s face with a hand. “If that’s all that’s stopping you, I guarantee you I’m ok. More than ok. It could help me take my mind off things.“ He pulls back his hand. “But if you don’t want to—“

Jacob grabs his hand before he can pull it back completely. He considers Sunwoo’s words, watches as Sunwoo’s gaze flickers down to his mouth, and decides that maybe he _does_ want to risk it all to have Sunwoo kiss him again.

He brings Sunwoo’s hand back to his jaw. Sunwoo cups his face again with a smirk and kisses him, with more intent this time.

Sunwoo kisses like Jacob would expect him to. He’s confident, doesn’t hesitate, but he’s also very meticulous. He kisses Jacob slowly, just pressing their lips together at first before he parts Jacob’s lips open with his, taking his time. When he slips his tongue in, Jacob feels like melting. Sunwoo is shifting in place, getting into a better position to cup Jacob’s face with both hands, never breaking the kiss. Jacob doesn’t know what to do with his hands; he ends up grabbing a fistful of Sunwoo’s shirt, pulling him closer. 

They kiss long enough that Jacob is breathless when Sunwoo pulls away. They’re both panting, and while they’re catching their breaths Sunwoo pulls Jacob onto his lap, getting him to straddle his legs. Jacob has clearly stopped thinking with the right head because he forgets momentarily that they’re in the living room of their dorm. He catches Sunwoo’s lips in his again, taking the initiative and immediately feeling embarrassed about it. Sunwoo encourages him by squeezing his waist, keeping up the momentum in the kiss when Jacob falters slightly. It feels hot, too hot, and Jacob loses track of time, kissing and being kissed, feeling Sunwoo’s hand traveling all over his body, resisting the urge to grind down, holding Sunwoo’s face as gently as his horny-addled brain will let him—

The _beep_ on the front door lock brings them back to the present. They part with a jolt, Jacob leaping from Sunwoo’s lap as if he’s been shocked. They’re sitting a good meter from each other, fixing their clothes and trying to discreetly wipe at the corner of their mouths when Changmin, Chanhee, Jaehyun, and Eric walk in, talking all over each other. Eric and Jaehyun walk into the kitchen with the groceries, while Changmin turns to the TV. 

“What are you watching?” He asks, curious.

Jacob blanks. “Uh... It’s, uh. It was nominated for an Oscar.” 

Changmin raises his eyebrows and nods, impressed. Jacob finds Sunwoo’s eyes and needs to keep himself from laughing. Sunwoo can’t seem to keep a serious face either. Chanhee, who has been checking his phone in the doorway, looks from one to the other. He doesn’t say anything, but Jacob feels his ears redden because it sure feels like he has been caught. 

“Looks fun,” Changmin says, eyes still glued to the TV. Chanhee snorts. Changmin gives him a confused look that Chanhee ignores, walking into the apartment and to his room. 

It’s only when Changmin leaves as well, calling dibs on the shower, that Jacob risks looking at Sunwoo again. Sunwoo is smiling, which in turn makes Jacob smile; he holds out a hand that Jacob takes happily, intertwining their fingers together. 

“Thank you,” Sunwoo says, for Jacob’s ears only. 

Jacob doesn’t know how to respond. He squeezes Sunwoo’s hand, happy to see him smiling. In return, Sunwoo brings his hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it. He needs to let go when Eric walks into the room noisily, throwing himself on Jacob’s other side on the couch. He asks them what they’re watching, and Jacob can’t help it this time. 

He laughs. Hard. 

“I honestly don’t remember.”


End file.
